Distribution and redistribution of salt ions in saline soils with shallow groundwater table

Abstract

Saline water resources are more abundant than freshwater. Bringing these resources into sustainable, productive use will offer  opportunities to reduce competition for freshwater resources, especially in arid and semi-arid areas where freshwater is scarce. Hence,  the primary objective of this study was to elucidate the dynamics of salt ions in saline profiles of various soil types (sandy Clovelly and  sandy loam Bainsvlei) under malt barley cultivation across 2 seasons where no leaching between the seasons took place. Results of this lysimeter study investigating increasing irrigation salinity (ECi ) set at 1.5, 4.5, 6, 9, and 12 dS·m−1 over 2 seasons were used to explore ion  dynamics of a saline environment. The lysimeter set-up included a saline constant (1.2 m) groundwater table with its salinity  corresponding to ECi . Findings showed that ion concentrations are higher closer to the water source only in the Bainsvlei soil and remain  variable in the Clovelly soil. Salt dynamics were more predictable in sandy loam soil than in sandy soil, making management of  saline sandy soils far more challenging when leaching is not possible. Therefore, our hypothesis that the absence of leaching between  seasons will lead to a differentiated progressive accumulation of salt ions in the soil profile, with variable effects on the soil depending on  soil texture, was true. We conclude that the desalinized zone, which we determined to be at a depth of 600 mm, should be used to guide  crop selection. Furthermore, in addition to the apparent provision for leaching of saline profiles, fertilization should target restoring ion balances, especially provisioning for calcium deficiencies. Both soils were prone to nutritional disorders, most especially calcium  deficiency. Therefore, in addition to provision for leaching saline profiles, fertilization should target calcium provisioning for crop  production in arid saline environments.